Temperature Logger discrepancy – “But why don’t they agree?”

A very common question is “why don’t two monitoring devices show the same temperature?” For example a fridge may have a digital display and a temperature logger but they never show the same temperature. Is the logger discrepancy showing the logger is wrong, because surely it must be impossible for them to both be right?

There are a number of reasons for this:

1. The inaccuracy of the units may cancel each other out or add to each other.
2. They are monitoring different locations. There is a large temperature variation in fridges, containers, rooms etc as you move from the centre to the outside, top to bottom and even left to right. Unless the two sensors are in identical locations, they are measuring different temperatures.
3. Some devices respond to the temperature faster than other devices. This is discussed in a previous blog.
4. Some devices provide a calculated value. This is particularly true for vaccine fridges where they simulate a vial of a particular size. Do not assume that one is right and one is wrong. There are reasons for the variations. If you have results that you can’t explain please contact OnSolution on 02 9614 6417 and we will gladly discuss them with you.